1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for remote data collection. It also relates to a process for using this system and an associated collection device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The collection of data from various geographic locations, particularly points of sale, effectuated for statistical purposes has considerable and economic importance when it constitutes for example one of the links in the process for calculating profit margins. This collection should be effected under the best conditions of reliability possible, without at the same time requiring too much work, while at the same time providing great flexibility of processing with regard particularly to the nature of the data to be collected and processed.
There is already known from the French patent application No. 2635626 of Aug. 18, 1988, in the name of IMS FRANCE, a collection system for statistical data. This system however has the drawback of rendering difficult rational use of the service center because it is the collection devices which have control of the poll times and drifts of the internal clocks of these devices have already been observed.
Moreover, the problem of the adaptation of the system exists from the time that it is necessary to provide the identification of new protocols for communication.